Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
maternity leavelatest news & developments
Fathers argue that section 25 to 27 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act is discriminatory because the leave is too little for them to participate in childcare. (Photo by Maud Dupuy / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP)

Limpopo couple lodges civil action with labour department for equal parenting leave and benefits

Fathers argue that section 25 to 27 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act is discriminatory because the leave is too little for them to participate in childcare

Women get 16 weeks of leave and men two weeks to look after their newborn. This drives women from work and prevents men from participating in child rearing. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Parental leave laws work against mothers and fathers

Women get 16 weeks of leave and men two weeks to look after their newborn. This drives women from work and prevents men from participating in child rearing

This expanded definition of parenting deserves some attention because it attempts to redefine parenting beyond heteronormative biological parenthood, says the writer (Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

Labour law redefines parenthood

The definition includes adoptive parents and commissioning parents in surrogacy cases

Equal footing: In the United Kingdom

South Africa needs legislated daddy time

New dads and adoptive parents should have the same time off work as moms who give birth

Eskom is in a race against time to release its interim results by 31 January or face having its debt delisted from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange

Paying it forward: South Africa’s law should give all fathers and adoptive parents paid parental leave

Getting parents more involved in childcare is good for a child’s health and prospects in life. South Africa needs to get with the programme.

The theme for World Health Day is ‘healthy beginnings, hopeful futures’ and aims to encourage governments to take actions to reduce mothers’ deaths during pregnancy and childbirth.

Better maternity leave laws are needed to protect African mothers

Maternity leave for women in developing countries is still a massive problem, with many women in informal sectors not receiving adequate cover.

Longer maternity leave eyed in EU to boost births

The minimum maternity leave in European Union countries would be raised by six weeks to a total of 20 in a proposal by EU lawmakers on Wednesday.